Office of the County Judge
and
Coryell County Emergency Management
For Immediate Release
March 27, 2020 – Gatesville, Coryell County, Texas -
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to increase within the Central Texas Region. While Coryell
County remains at one confirmed case, Bell County is currently at 20 cases and McLennan County is
reported to have 33 cases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services website.
Additionally, there appears to be a growing trend in the number of cases along the I-35 corridor. To
date, Coryell Healthcare Systems (CHS) Hospital has tested 74 individuals with 65 negative results and
nine tests pending.
Residents of Coryell County are strongly urged to cease all travel to and through Bell and McLennan
Counties, as well as any county along the I-35 corridor, and the major population centers of DFW,
Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Travel to any of these areas will increase your risk of exposure to
COVID-19. Most of these counties have issued a “shelter in place” order. If you are traveling to or
through a county with a shelter in place order, you are subject to being issued a citation if your presence
or actions in that county violates their order.
While not at critical levels, local supplies of disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are
becoming a concern. Vendors supplying gloves, masks, face shields, and gowns are unable to keep pace
with the demand. These items are not specific to COVID-19 as they are used daily in healthcare facilities
locally and across the nation. The Federal Government has released some of these items from the
Strategic National Stockpile, however, very few of these supplies are being distributed to rural
healthcare facilities such as CHS Hospital.
When asked how long this health crisis may last, Coryell County Judge Roger Miller stated, “this is a
marathon, not a sprint. I’m extremely pleased with our citizens and their compliance to our Disaster
Declaration. But we’ve all got to remain steadfast in our good hygiene practices and social distancing.
And above all, be responsible for monitoring your current health and stay at home if you aren’t feeling
well. We’re going to get through this, and we’ll be a better County in the end.”
More information about Coryell County services, including Emergency Management and County Disaster
Declarations, may be found at https://www.coryellcounty.org
.
